New Delhi: Carlos Sainz has joined teammate in extending his stay with Williams beyond the 2026 F1 season. Williams confirmed on Wednesday that Sainz had prolonged his stay, signing a multi-year contract extension, a day after their other driver secured a deal for 2027 as well.
The Spaniard joined Williams in 2025 after his departure from Ferrari and had a great debut campaign, securing two podium finishes. However, the team has struggled for pace this season. So far, Sainz has managed only six points and a best result of ninth finish. His new deal puts an end to speculation surrounding his future.
Williams and Sainz remain confident about turning fortunes around
Williams described the agreement as a sign of confidence in its long-term ambition of returning to the front of the F1 grid. The team has kept the exact duration of the contract under wraps for now. The announcements do mean Williams will retain its current driver pairing for next season.
Following the announcement, Sainz noted that he was delighted to continue working with Williams and expressed confidence in the team’s long-term plans. He highlighted the commitment of every individual at both the factory and the race track, as well as the investments being made behind the scenes.
Sainz added that he remains fully committed to helping Williams recover from its present scenario and believes the team has the ingredients needed to return to competitive form.
For Williams, the two drivers last season did give them their best finish in the last nine years, after they ended 2025 in fifth place in the Constructors’ championship. For Sainz, the 2024 season, which marked his departure from Ferrari, was perhaps his best performance ever.
The 31-year-old took two of his wins in the season, winning both the Australian and Mexican Grands Prix. Overall, with Ferrari, Sainz has won four times. In 2022 and 2024, the Spanish driver finished fifth in the Drivers’ Championship. For Williams, coming into a season with a new era of F1 cars, it has been a struggle managing the pace of the drivers, but showing faith in both of their drivers is a statement of how much they believe in their current setup.